Is The NBA Fixed?

This is my first foray into creating a topic here. But I think, after watching last night's game, one question is important enough to warrant serious discussion. The question: "Is the NBA fixed?"

Now before I give my views, let me first proclaim that the players are not in on it. They are playing their hardest, to their abilities and beyond and want to win at all costs. Even when it looks like they are lollygagging, loping after 50/50 balls and "playing soft," that is an illusion that we, as observers, delude ourselves with. As Mark Cuban said, and I paraphrase, the concept of "wanting it more" is mere journalistic fantasy. For his full interview, it is on a trail on this site. It is worth a look. But now to the topic at hand.

When I say these games are fixed, it is more than just refs giving six or eight points to a given team. That would be easy, obvious and likely would not change the outcome. What I am referring to is something much more subtle.

Please allow me to digress. I am a gambler. Gamblers always argue whether a roulette dealer can put a ball into a given number. The most sophisticated analysis, and one I subscribe to, is the answer to the following question: if you were to roll a ball on to a spinning wheel, day after day, four hour shifts, year after year, would you not assimilate an intuitive "feel" that would enable you to almost "put the ball where you want it?" I think the answer is "yes."

Similarly, referees, like the roulette dealer, carefully watch three hour NBA games, day after day, year after year. At some point, the more gifted can sculpt the outcome of ANY game between two evenly matched teams. Knowing the psychological makeup of a given player, a strategically placed "T" can ruin his game. Need to get rid of a player, or turn him into a "Mr. Softee," a couple quick and undeserved fouls will do the trick. Need to insure a Game Seven outcome? Make sure Z-Bo doesn't play. A couple of well-placed "charges" can ruin any teams momentum. A skilled ref crew can change the arc of a game in very subtle, yet important, ways. It could be the phantom end-game call that gave DWade his first ring. Give a supremely gifted athlete like KD a slight edge so he gets to the line anytime an opponent so much as breathes upon him and this slight edge is much like a card counter's edge -- he will almost always win.

The NBA is a multi-billion dollar business and does not want it to hinge on chance. It is a star-driven entertainment that is in the business of building stars. Star by star. Recently MJ, then Kobe, then Dirk, then LeBron, now Kevin Durant. Can the League allow the man who gave the "MVP Speech of the Decade" to founder in the playoffs? No. Not when billions of dollars depends on his success.

No, Durant is not an NBA creation. He is truly great. But if you can have officials change the arc of the game to give him and his team the "house edge," as they say in the casino, why not? Furthermore, for this year at least, the last thing the NBA needs is for the Clippers -- with Shelly Sterling clicking up her "I am not a racist" dancing shoes and lawyers' briefs -- distracting from the dream Finals of KD vs. LeBron.

Maybe next year, when the dust has settled and Magic or Oprah or Geffin own the team, the time will be right for the Clippers to win a title. Or at least get a taste of traditional home-town reffing.

For now, we should be happy to have had an exciting Game Seven against the Warriors and the promise of greatness in the Game One victory over OKC.

But unless I miss my guess, that is as much as the NBA will allow the Clippers at this point.

The final question you might ask is, "Are all NBA games scripted like the WWE?" The answer is clearly "No." But from time to time, when a little certainty is needed in a land of randomnicity, they can bring in "The Referee A-Team." Much like a "cooler" in a casino, sometimes you have to give yourself a little extra edge. Especially when billions of dollars are at stake. Surely it is nothing you can prove. It is done with a wink and a nod. Nobody would ever say it; not with everything being taped! But it is likely done just the same.

Will I watch the rest of the Clippers games? You bet I will. And I think in a fair and square battle, we would win. But in this case, based on what I have seen and what I know about how businesses are run, unless something really weird happens, this cannot be allowed to be a fair and square battle.

Maybe next year!!!

Your opinions?

HyperFuse

05/10/2014 - 04:26 AM PST

Clipper D-League Pickup

Posts: 45

votes: 0

its a valid argument. i think the main point is the NBA doesn't gift teams rings what they do do is make series go the full length of 6 or 7 games so that they get the most $$$ out of this happening. just look at game 2 in OKC 3 fouls in under a minute, would the NBA really want us going up 2-0 going into a home game sector where we could potentially close it out leaving the NBA short of 3 games?

Heediot

05/10/2014 - 07:19 AM PST

Clipper Starter

Posts: 958

votes: 4

I personally think it's fixed to a certain extent. However, sometimes we get the favors also. I guess OKC gets more favors than 90 percent of the league, maybe the whole league.

pageC4

05/10/2014 - 08:54 AM PST

CTB MVP X1

Posts: 4809

votes: 24

I don't think for one minute the NBA is "rigged." I think the refs are not there to favor one side or another. They do, however, make an egregious amount of wrong calls. That being said they do affect the outcome of games, so why let it get close? The problem I have is that people use the refs as a scapegoat, but ultimately in the course of seven games they can't fix them all. Last nights game our backcourt cost us the game, Redick was 1-5 I believe and JC only shot 6/18. Plus we got outrebounded, and played horrible defense. To win this series we need to start off well (which we have all three games) and maintain the lead (we we haven't done in our two losses). In the end we can't leave it in the hands of the refs, and if we believe our team is better than OKC then we shouldn't be making each game close and blaming refs for calls...lets beat them by a good margin so these calls won't affect the result. Go Clippers!

FightOnRon

05/10/2014 - 09:15 AM PST

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Location: The Darkside

votes: 43

Well I do think certain players get major advantages by the refs.........ever since the Jordan Rules were invented. There always seems to be a chosen player every year and that player can get away with more then others. This year's chosen one is Durant and I do think the NBA really wants to see Durant battle LeBron. Makes for good TV.

I also think even if there seems to be an advantage, that advantage can be beaten by a team that bears down. Our team, last night, did not bear down int he last 5 minutes. For shooting as crappy as they did, they were there,they even Lawler's lawed them. I think there were a number of phantom fouls last night but I don't think the refs had anything to do with our loss,out team did.

Made me wonder though that maybe we are not as good as we think we are.

sz123456

05/10/2014 - 09:45 AM PST

CTB MVP X1

Posts: 2733

votes: 17

I remember going to see Bulls/Clippers at the Sports Arena every year and asking my Dad, "Why is that guy allowed to hit everybody?"

A charge on Jordan Crawford is not a charge on Kevin Durant. A hand check by Patrick Beverly is not a hand check by Kevin Durant. In the late 4th quarter when I hear, "The foul is on Kevin Durant, that is his 2nd personal foul", you almost have to laugh.

In a lot of ways our team is coddled by the referees. I watch games and think, "Man, we wouldn't have gotten that call 5 years ago..." It's frustrating to see the other team get it more though.

I do think we blew it last night with poor defense, but the idea that referees are not biased and they do not affect the outcome of games is just wrong.

LKR4LFE

05/10/2014 - 11:23 AM PST

Posts: 14

votes: 0

Uhh no baad. Had you remained a true laker fan instead of just hanging around for the glory years and then becoming a ring chaser you would know this. I'm not even gonna Mock you but here's hoping this helps you understand why the league isn't rigged and why your NEW team can not win this series or a championship:

You don't have a bench. Besides JC there is nobody capable of taking you to a championship.

You don't play championship defense. I'm sorry to inform you that Docs championship defense was coached by Thibs and i think he's a little tied up right now.

You have no one on your team who's been there before. And I'm not talking championship parade I'm talking about the hell and back that comes BEFORE the championship parade. Spurs, last year. .. hell and back.

You lack mental toughness. The best player on your team can not be your best flopper he has to be the toughest SOB on the floor. I don't see who you have that matches Westbrooks toughness.

Cleepers told me that history doesn't mean a pile of dog s#it. Wrong. You have to have a history of winning, how to win, what it takes to win, how hard it is to win, And what you've got to go through to win. The only thing that doesn't mean a pile of dog s#it is the regular season.

sz123456

05/10/2014 - 12:10 PM PST

CTB MVP X1

Posts: 2733

votes: 17

We're not favorites to win this year, we do have a chance to win though. You make good points about what we are missing as a team. However a Laker fan saying the league isn't rigged is meaningless. You're blind to what your team has gotten away with over the years.

cleepers

05/10/2014 - 12:14 PM PST

CTB MVP X3

Posts: 10461

votes: 142

You couldn't be more wrong. The Clippers' regular season is why their fans are still watching games. Where does that "history of winning" put you right now?

Oh, right... you're trolling another team because your own message board is a ghost town. How the mighty have fallen. The only guy in your organization with a history of winning won't even be seen on the bench these days for fear of getting tainted by the stink of utter failure that pervades today's lakers.

The lakers brand you once knew was buried alongside Jerry Buss like a Pharaoh with his treasure. Meanwhile, perhaps the greatest laker ever is itching to jump on the Clippers bandwagon.

And for the record, try looking in the mirror as a laker fan and saying "the Clippers don't play defense"... the laugh might cheer you up.

Hate to say it, but most of the best players today flop. There goes that argument. Nice try.

Akclipps

05/10/2014 - 01:46 PM PST

Clipper Starter

Posts: 446

votes: 6

Any of you guys play parlay? If you do.. You'll see how the refs keep shaving points by calling stupid fouls. On game 3 did u guys notice how okc keeps shooting ft over the foul limit each quarter. 2nd quarter started clippers gets called foul outside the three point key when okc just dribbling the ball four consecutive straight. Nba is rigged and mostly the refs are.. The whole you could tell that they didn't want the clips to get a decent run. All of our momentum were killed by sissy foul. Okc had the handicap forsure last night just Golden state on game 7

LKR4LFE

05/10/2014 - 02:37 PM PST

Posts: 14

votes: 0

It's not about trolling you have nothing worth trolling. And you are delusional if you think the Lakers will remain in the state we're in. The fact is a former laker fan asked the question because he can't fathom WHY the clippers are losing. So it doesn't Matter how you slice or how many times you reference that the Lakers aren't in the playoffs. .. WE HAVE RINGS. .LOOOOOOTS OF THEM! You guys are trying to get to where we've BEEN sitting. So if you think this bench that has one scorer and big baby is enough to take you post okc the spurs and the heat or Indiana so be it.

If you think a team full of guys who've never been out the first round will now miraculously vault to become nba champions so be it.

And if you think that the regular season which is an elongated all star weekend where no defense is played and lobs and dunks win night in and night out is the same as the playoffs SO BE IT.

No, the nba playoffs is not fixed. It takes blood sweat and tears to hang ONE of them banners. And like i said you don't even have one guy on your team who knows what that is. therefore the next plausible explanation to Baad is as to why his team isn't getting the job done is .... this thing must be fixed.

cleepers

05/10/2014 - 02:40 PM PST

CTB MVP X3

Posts: 10461

votes: 142

Then you won't be too upset about being banned.

Bye.

sz123456

05/10/2014 - 02:52 PM PST

CTB MVP X1

Posts: 2733

votes: 17

The sad part is that you believe that...

Reminds me of Donald Sterling telling someone today "You're delusional if you think I won't own an NBA franchise again".

It's over, your team is done for as long as Blake and CP3 are here. What championship caliber player would go to the Lakers where he can play with _____ and be coached by ______, when they can play with Blake, CP, and be coached by Doc?

Magic Johnson jumped ship, wonder how long it will take you... ?

FightOnRon

05/10/2014 - 03:36 PM PST

CTB MVP X2

Posts: 5602

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votes: 43

There it is,the ring argument. Where is the Kobe argument now? maybe you can post a picture of all the rings you won on the Lakers.

FightOnRon

05/10/2014 - 03:37 PM PST

CTB MVP X2

Posts: 5602

Location: The Darkside

votes: 43

Oh,we were just getting started. Obviously we were getting on his nerves. We may have made his brain explode like we did that GW troll.

cleepers

05/10/2014 - 03:55 PM PST

CTB MVP X3

Posts: 10461

votes: 142

He can't say I didn't give him his chances, Ron.

If he'd kept his trolling basketball-related I might have given him more latitude, but when he resorts to stalking BaadMaster like a jilted ex-girlfriend... I have to draw the line.

Don't mourn the loss, mate... there'll always be plenty more trolls to berate.

BaadMaster

05/10/2014 - 06:09 PM PST

Clipper All-Star

Posts: 1851

Location: Los Angeles

votes: 12

Personally, I would have given him another warning. We're tough enough to withstand the troll assaults. But more importantly...

Joining the Clippers "bandwagon" has been enlightening, to say the least. I have gotten most of my hate from "jilted" Lakers fans. I don't care; the Clippers have given me the opportunity to join my Clippers fan son and cheer for a great team together. Bonding with him is far more important than rooting for Jim Buss to gain additional brain cells. (Yes, even if we lose this series, this is a "great" team -- one of about five great teams in the NBA this year.)

As to Lakers "history," with the Internet and the information overload we all are bombarded with, this has become a very immediate world. Today, you cannot market the present by selling the past unless you are The History Channel. Nobody, other than history buff 'Pawn Stars Rick' (LOL), cares about the chips the Lakers won. All they know is that they lose, lose, lose and are a drag to watch. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Thus far in this trail, it seems most of us feel the NBA is "fixed," to a greater or lessor degree. And some of you think we should be able to overcome ref bias. I ask you -- why should we have to? Obviously the NBA isn't the WWE -- but should it be like Championship boxing where the challenger knows that he cannot win a decision -- that he must knock the Champ out to win?

I do not enjoy it when the NBA reverses calls after a game and thinks that fixes the problem. They tacitly endorse calling a game "looser" at the end than the beginning. And they expect us to enjoy watching teams playing on a tilted court. Of course, if you are an OKC fan you would probably like the "KD Rules." But then this becomes "managed entertainment." Like the Rocky movies.

The technology to make games fair is available. A couple "coaches' challenges" would go a long way to cleaning up problems like the wrong call at the end of Warriors Game One. Thus the bigger question is not "Is the NBA fixed," but rather "Does the NBA really want a level playing field?"

To this observer, the answer is clearly "No."

BaadMaster

05/10/2014 - 06:32 PM PST

Clipper All-Star

Posts: 1851

Location: Los Angeles

votes: 12

Although this troll has been banned, I want to address this accusation. This trail had little to do with "explaining" a Clippers loss. It was posed on a much bigger scale. I had mentioned Z-Bo's banishment, DWade's phantom calls and KD's life on the foul line. (He probably spends more time there than at his Mother's house.)

Win or lose, these refs make it very frustrating to watch NBA playoff games. When you see a guy get a bloody nose and no call is made, when teams have a 40-10 free throw disparity (see Doc's Celtics vs. the Lakers, series one) and when Dirk gets bailed out time after time, it makes for a bad viewing experience. Not to say agita if you had bet on the games. (That is why, other than a flier on a long shot Title bet at season's start, I do not bet NBA games.)

And, of course, there is the usual "great teams overcome bad officiating." Yes, that might be true. But why should they have to? This is basketball, not a handicapped horse race. ("Put fifteen pounds on Chris Paul." LOL!)

Addendum: Cleepers wrote: ..."Meanwhile, perhaps the greatest Laker ever is itching to jump on the Clippers bandwagon..." I guess I am in good company!!!

Rep to ClipperPostman!

cleepers

05/10/2014 - 06:42 PM PST

CTB MVP X3

Posts: 10461

votes: 142

According to David's guidelines, established members get 3 strikes and new members who are out of line get banned instantly.

Usually, I'm all for letting the members smack down trolls, but quite honestly this clown wasn't even entertaining enough to merit a few kilobytes of space on CTB's server. I was more than generous to let him spout his illiterate nonsense for as long I did.

Regarding your OP... if I'm a referee and call games fairly, but that results in superstars like LeBron, Durant, CP3 and Blake being benched for large portions of games and people subsequently switching off, then I'm not going to be given the prime assignments anymore.

However, I think the problem people have with Durant is completely different. He doesn't commit too many defensive fouls because he runs away from playing defense. The issue is that he is primarily a jumpshooter who is also an excellent foul shooter, yet he gets to the line more than guys who are fouled intentionally due to their superb FG% at the rim and bad FT percentages (Howard, DJ, and to a lesser extent, LeBron and Blake).

Fans of other teams don't like that LeBron, Blake and Howard lead with their forearms and bully guys in the paint, but they also take some of the worst hits in the league. Durant is just a 7-foot puzzy!

ClipperKyle32

05/10/2014 - 09:22 PM PST

CTB MVP X1

Posts: 3330

votes: 28

Easy Answer! Just Recently! Indiana vs Hawks Game 6 Paul George and another Pacer STEPPED ON THE COURT! Rule Is if anyone steps on the court its an automatic suspension. Also that same game Mike....

Dude, don't even trip about the bans. This is troll season because the haters sense we are getting closer. You ought to be handing out bans on trolls like condoms at an inner city high school.

gman

05/10/2014 - 11:38 PM PST

CTB MVP X1

Posts: 2828

votes: 6

We do not have to go very far. Just look at game 2 at OKC. REF McCullough (I believe is his name) committed a foul on RW and he gave i to CP. Minutes later a "FOUL" was called on CP. That took CP out and the Clippers had to play catch up all game long.

Yesterdays game, Blake got a bloody nose. Now announcers are saying that Blake RAN into the elbow. Rules say that you are allowed to have your arms straight up, Ibaka brought his down(not all the way but just enough).

On a Butler three midway through 4th quarter, Ibaka gave Blake a pick, Blake tried to go around it but Ibaka gave him a bear hug.

BaadMaster

05/11/2014 - 07:22 AM PST

Clipper All-Star

Posts: 1851

Location: Los Angeles

votes: 12

As a long time NBA fanatic, I have noticed one big change regarding the officiating. Up until recently, there always was a CONSISTENT home town bias which gave the home team about four to eight extra points per game.

This really worked on two levels. First, in a playoff series, you might get "bad calls" on away games, but you would get the advantage back when the series switched venues. Home court advantage was literally home court advantage. Thus, it was worth working hard in the regular season to achieve it because HCR (Home Court Reffing), for the first two games in a seven game series, would likely give you a two game head start. Second, even bad teams often sent their fans home happy with a "charity stripe" win at home. This is truly a "win/win" arrangement at the highest level.

But with the evolution of the NBA into a star-driven, as opposed to a team driven, league, the HCR became the SSA -- the Super Star Advantage. And those super stars the NBA deemed essential to success, such as Kobe, LeBron and KD, would get preferential treatment -- even at away games.

And that is what is so frustrating to us Clippers supporters. For example, in game three, Durant STILL got the calls -- even at Staples. This is a sea change in the NBA; a new paradigm if you will. No more home cooking and home reffing when you play the League's darlings. Call it a "fix," or call it "managed entertainment." If you do not have one of the NBA's chosen, you are behind the eight ball when the post season rolls around. This might account for the recent spate of multiple and sequential titleholders.

Still, even with this handicap, the Clippers can still win this series. We just have to be a lot better than OKC.

But the news is not all bad. Should OKC or Miami win this year, next year -- after waiting our turn -- CP3 and Blake Griffin might be anointed the next "favored superstars." And then no one here will be b*tching about calls -- we will get them all!!!

Go Clippers!

run2dahgoal

05/11/2014 - 01:29 PM PST

Clipper 6th Man

Posts: 194

votes: 1

Is the NBA fixed?

Are weights heavy? /sarcasm

To a certain level. If you're very popular you will get the calls and get away with blatant plays. I still remember that flagrant foul Tyson Chandler picked up against Lebron on Miami's second run to the finals. People believed he tried to murder him. Kevin Durant (during the last meeting against the clippers during the regular season) pulled up for a jumpshot against Matt Barnes, bobbled it, came down with it (where's the travel) did it again then Matt got called for a foul. JJ Redick got hit out of the sky be Demarcus Cousins and was a common foul. The league did not got back and look at this play (it wasn't a basketball play; he should have been fined or suspended). Then you got the Ibaka hit on Blake last season where Surge didn't get fined or suspended (because the Thunder had a game against the Lakers), Blake's getting knocked around, defenders draping his neck with their arms so they don't "end up" on a highlight reel. He picks up technical fouls when he has a legitimate complaint (in most cases the refs are within 5 feet of what's happening). I remembering a time when the Clips gained possession Blake called out to the ref (you know how you throw the ball to the ref) and tossed the ball to him (I think it was a bounce pass). Blake then gets whistled for a technical and I'm here scratching my my head trying to figure out what he did wrong. If Lebron gets a bad call he'll chat with the ref while bringing the ball up court or will get up in the referees face; I've seen Russell Westbrick curse at the ref and slam his fist down the refs stand there and do nothing. Of course they are other examples but only 2 teams exist in the NBA (guess which ones; the hints are everywhere). The clippers really get the bottom of the barrel since they're the "basement dwellers" (I think every team in the NBA at some point had a highpoint whether it was winning it all, having that popular player etc) and the NBA is not ready for this. Once you're down there you stay down there; that's what they say.

TheDude

05/11/2014 - 01:51 PM PST

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votes: 31

This is definitely the dirtiest pro league in American sports. Some of the refs are dirty but you don't even need the ref to be in on it in order to tip the scales in favor of one team or the other. NBA can just assign refs who tend to call or not call certain types of infractions. A ref that rarely calls low post body contact is not a good ref for the Clips because you could call a foul against the defender almost any time Blake goes strong to the hoop. That same ref is great for OKC because they have no low post scorers, even Ibaka does most of his damage on put backs and short jump shots. Refs that call palming/traveling are not for the Clips because CP does it a lot and Jamal does it every time he gets the ball. Etc.

That said, I was at game3 and since we lost I didn't watch the tape. Perception is different at the game vs. on TV but I didn't feel like the refs cost us the game. A lot of BS was going on, like double technicals when our guy is walking away, but I don't think it was enough to say this was a game they wanted to turn out one way or the other.

but if the pattern holds true, we get a lot of calls today and they make sure this series goes at least 6games. I'll be shocked if we lose today.

Marcus50

05/11/2014 - 02:07 PM PST

Clipper D-League Pickup

Posts: 2

votes: 0

I find it difficult to credit that anyone can buy into the BS written here about a conspiracy against the Clippers in favor of the Thunder. Conspiracy theories abound yet nothing credible it back it up. Its always easy to toss out the slur against referees without any evidence because the poor pricks can't defend themselves. No question Referees make mistakes and both the Thunder and the Clippers have benefited in this series from missed or wrong calls by referees. I would go further to suggest that for every one of the examples the clippers fans could produce the Thunder fans will have one to counter with. The calls against each of our respective teams are of course more influential on the outcome of the game especially when we lose. In all sports Referees are more than likely to give the benefit of the doubt to an all star player over a rookie or scrub. In this area durant benefits as does blake griffen but one more than the other, unlikely.

slestack11

05/13/2014 - 01:50 AM PST

Clipper All-Star

Posts: 1174

votes: 6

As much as the NBA would love to crown Kevin Durant, I would think this year would see different priorities. If the Clippers win the championship, they will be at the maximum value for a potential sale. By increasing its value, it makes it easier for the NBA to convince both Sterlings to take the money as everyone has a price. If the NBA truly were fixed, I'd say they should fix it so the Clippers win it all. This also makes a statement that the NBA does not believe in racism as they don't allow Sterling to participate in the trophy ceremony. Instead, they allow their African American appointed CEO to congratulate the players. This will set up an unprecedented situation where the league champion from the second largest market is for sale. The price could go as high as $1.5 billion or even $2 billion. That's the sort of money that the Sterling family can't pass up.

cleepers

05/13/2014 - 01:53 AM PST

CTB MVP X3

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votes: 142

^ Of course, the flip-side of that is that the longer the Clippers stay in the playoffs, the more the media is on this highly embarrassing story. Much better to handle this nasty business quietly while everybody's focused on LeBron and Durant duking it out in the finals.

slestack11

05/13/2014 - 03:16 AM PST

Clipper All-Star

Posts: 1174

votes: 6

This whole Sterling expulsion is all staged. Everything that is released is more ammunition that the NBA is against racism and that Donald Sterling is the epitome of racism. It's all set up for the owners to vote him out and for the sale to be enormous. Hell, I even think the Sterling family is in on it so they can get the most money out of this deal. It's all set up so some conglomerate corporation with an African American face can take over an NBA franchise in a major market. This is purely a money play and the NBA refs better be on board. They better get their bets in order to get paid the way they get paid.

cleepers

05/13/2014 - 03:23 AM PST

CTB MVP X3

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votes: 142

^ Haha! And to think some people on here are calling ME the conspiracy theorist!

PaulSoleil

05/13/2014 - 04:54 AM PST

Clipper D-League Pickup

Posts: 36

votes: 1

I actually met a professionally basketball ref and the answer is.....well sort of.
They ABSOLUTELY manage games and do makeup calls for calls they miss. There is really no consistency except for them to control the game how they want. (They want players to settle down, they call touch fouls on everything to prove a point. One team has a big lead, they try to speed up the game by not calling anything, etc)
Kevin Durant wins MVP after a stirring emotional speech? Well, it's good for the league for him to get a win.
Now....

Clearly fixed, today being another example. You would be blind to deny it after the ending of today's game. The nba clearly loves OKC. The ft attempt differential is ridiculous as well.

sz123456

05/14/2014 - 09:05 AM PST

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There is no question, it is absolutely fixed. For the people that disagree, what would you need to see to change your mind? Honestly, lets say hypothetically the league is rigged, what would you need to see to be convinced? I honestly feel that all the refs could make a statement today that the league is rigged, and people would still be here yelling at CP3.

FightOnRon

05/14/2014 - 09:13 AM PST

CTB MVP X2

Posts: 5602

Location: The Darkside

votes: 43

This is why being a Clipper fan make all of us suspect to be in mental institutions. We root for a team that will never have a chance. the NBA has is favorites and we are not on the list. My wife blames the Lakers. You know those dic*Heads looked at the call and tried to figure out how to get the ball to OKC and they did it. Everyone knows, everyone, that the ball was ours. OKC plaers s are covering their heads knowing the lost, fans go dead quiet, but the refs ride to the rescue.

OKC1FAN

05/14/2014 - 09:25 AM PST

Posts: 3

votes: 0

i know its a hard pill to swallow and i sympathize but the refs made the CORRECT call:

namzug

05/14/2014 - 09:50 AM PST

Clipper All-Star

Posts: 1370

Location: So Cal

votes: 14

Get out of here guy. We were just on the other end of this same call the last series. The hand that you can argue was hit was not the hand that caused the ball to go out of bounds.

You shouldn't be able to change this on a week to week basis! Four bad calls or no calls in the last minute or so. No foul on the Westbrook three, No Foul on CP3 twice (you can argue that he got stripped on the inbounds play, but not that he didn't get fouled by Jackson on his last drive).

Once the whole Sterling thing transpired I figured that the NBA wouldn't allow the Clippers to win. It's all just a business decision, you can't let Sterling get the money for a large market championship team. We are estimated to go at about 1 billion, you can add quite a few millions to it if we win the championship.

Icecoldclipper

05/14/2014 - 09:55 AM PST

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Like many fans around the league are saying if the league is rigged it paid Paul to choke. None of the actions happen without Paul turnovers and the blown out of bounds play means nothing if Paul doesn't foul Westbrook shooting three.

Paul held him himself accountable and the ref complaining doesn't become a issue unless we choked. The comeback was fueled by turnovers and bad execution not the refs.

ClipperPostman

05/14/2014 - 10:05 AM PST

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People keep using that rule when they obviously don't understand it. If Reggie lost the ball on the initial contact out of bounds it would be okc ball. In laymen terms the hand you are dribbling with becomes "part of the ball". Reggie touches the ball with his opposite hand which makes this rule null and void on this play. By the rules it's clipper ball

sz123456

05/14/2014 - 10:07 AM PST

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What turnovers? Paul getting fouled by Westbrook and it not being called? But yeah, refs had nothing to do with it.

Bad execution? Paul getting clearly getting his arm pulled by Jackson and it not getting called? But yeah, refs had nothing to do with it.

Mental errors? Paul not fouling Westbrook on the 3 but getting called for it? But yeah, what refs? I didn't even notice they were there, totally transparent.

ClipperPostman

05/14/2014 - 10:10 AM PST

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It's really doesn't matter why we lost. There were multiple factors. The real issue is the refs blatantly getting a call wrong in favor of okc. The implications of this are tremendous. Are the refs really trying to influence the game for a clipper lost? If so that needs to be dealt with because we have a right to play a fair game like anyone else.

Also if they are biased how do we know they aren't purposely cheating through out the entire game to keep clippers from running away with it?

You need to stop being so childish in trying to express this disdain for cp3 and look at the bigger issue.

sz123456

05/14/2014 - 10:26 AM PST

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Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

I just don't understand the logic of "it doesn't matter that the refs cheated, the refs should have never been in a position to cheat. That falls on the players."

Icecoldclipper

05/14/2014 - 10:27 AM PST

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Cheating a whole game?!? How in the world were we up 7 under a minute if they didn't want us running away. Did the refs really force the clippers to play extremely passive offense to milk the clock?

It was a bad play call review but the refs did not give KD that pull up three or westbrooks slashes to the basket. Even after the horrible call the refs didn't make Chris Paul foul Russell Westbrook on a three point shot. Again it was a bad call but the breakdown on both ends cost the clips more than anything.

The lost wasn't all on Paul but his over thinking led the way. Refs weren't holding us back when we got 4 point plays kicking the leg out and was able to be physical with Westbrook attacking earlier. They got more calls we suspected it especially okc at home. We got our calls and made shots.

wessleejr

05/14/2014 - 10:27 AM PST

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votes: 2

Yes this is what I am talking in the other site, Westbrook poke the ball from CP3's hand and ref did not call a foul(unless it was Durant who have the ball) the ball went to Jackson and the ref after he swallow the whistle blow it and call a foul on Barnes, the next one was CP3 drive to the hoop and Jackson slap CP3's hand and the ref swallow again his whistle.

FightOnRon

05/14/2014 - 10:32 AM PST

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Fine,but that isn't what happened.

JahvonTheClip

05/14/2014 - 10:37 AM PST

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votes: 9

If you watched matt barnes hit the ball into reggies right hand, then it deflected off reggies right hand out of bounds. There no way matt barnes hits the ball to his right and it goes in front of him unless another force(reggies hand) came in contact with it. and to ice it off reggie tried to flop to get free throws yet russell complains about us flopping. so much respect lost for the thunder...